Slippery Rock junior Gabriella McAdams(left), 21, and Peter Shipe, 21, choose their favorite bowl at Friday's Empty Bowls event put on by the Student Government Association. The soup dinner is to promote food insecurities on college campuses.

Buying bowls, filling bowls and saving bowls.

Slippery Rock University students helped fund the campus food bank on Friday afternoon when the Student Government Association partnered with the Potter's Guild to host an Empty Bowls dinner in the Smith Student Center Ballroom.

“A student is already stressed out enough; they shouldn't need to worry about where their next meal will come from,” said Erin O'Connor, an SRU graduate student. “I think that this is a unique way to educate people on this.”

At the event, students, faculty, staff and community members purchased bowls handcrafted by members of the Potter's Guild, along with soup and bread.

SGA member Elizabeth Hernandez manages Bob's Market, the SRU food bank named after Bob Macoskey.

Hernandez said soup and bread were served intentionally at the event to imitate the basic conditions of those suffering from food insecurity.

“This will really give us a kick start for self-sustaining our pantry,” she said.

The bowls ranged in price from $5 to $20, depending on size, design and time spent on the work.

Assistant Professor Tricia Bishop, adviser for the Potter's Guild, said the bowls are created by students who are trained in both functional and sculptural art.

Read the whole story and learn more about food insecurity countywide in Sunday's print edition of the Butler Eagle or subscribe online.